Air to Breathe
by Lily meet Ginny
Summary: When Hermione is unexpectedly left with her career plan no longer viable, she must carve out a new purpose for herself. She runs into an old school-mate along the way. Written for the Songs by Genre challenge!


**A/N:** This story grew from the Songs by Genre Challenge from Lil'MissChris. The song I was given is Again, by Flyleaf. This _was_ going to be a one-shot, but it got too long. I'd say this will probably be three chapters when complete. Concrit is welcome!

"I love the way that your heart breaks

With every injustice and deadly fate

Praying it all be new

And living like it all depends on you"

-Flyleaf, Again

Hermione had nothing left to do.

She'd managed to make it through the war alive, find her parents and return their memories, and go back for her final year at hogwarts. She had quite a bit planned for after she graduated. She fully intended to sit every NEWTs exam, regardless of her career path. Once she aced those, she would continue on to a job that she'd secured in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, a job which would allow her to draft laws on the treatment of house-elves and other beings. She imagined that with all of the leftover pure-blood bigotry

However, her plans were shattered in an instant. She had apprenticed in the office during summer and winter break, and had enjoyed the experience it provided, even if the work was a tad tedious. She had finished with her assigned tasks early one day and had an hour or so to kill. Hermione had been working on drafting her first proposal on rights for house-elves in her free time, and figured this was as good of a time as any to work on it. She had just finished plotting out the general terms and conditions when Kingsley stopped by her desk.

"Minister Shacklebolt," Hermione stood to greet him.

"None of that," Kingley said, waving off the formality. "We've known each other for four years now; you of all people can call me Kingley. I was actually stopping by to grab you for a meeting we're having in thirty minutes."

"What's the meeting about," Hermione asked, her interest sparked.

"Changes we're planning on implementing post-war. The one year anniversary is coming up, and we need to have a solid proposition for what we'll be doing to improve the aspects that triggered the war." He studied her desk before looking back up at her. "Harry, Ron, and Neville will be in attendance as well."

"You had me sold at meeting," Hermione grinned. "Let me grab my bag and some parchment."

When she straightened up after grabbing what she needed from her desk drawer, she noticed that Kingsley was examining some of the papers on her desk. More specifically, he was reading her proposal. She blushed with embarrassment. He looked at her from over the document.

"Do you have anything else like this? Other drafts of different changes, perhaps?"

Hermione blushed even more profusely. "I do," she whispered. She was going to get mocked, she knew it.. This was going to be worse than S.P.E.W. had been in her fourth year.

"Go fetch them," Kingsley told her sternly. "But before you do, sign your name at the bottom of it with this." He passed her the blood quill that was used to draft documents and verify identity. She felt tears pricking up and blinked hard to clear them as she reached out and signed her hard work. She was going to get fired. She would lose the credit for her internship. She pulled her other proposal plans out and laid them gently on the desk. She was told to sign the rest, before he duplicated all of them and handed her back the originals.

"Give me a minute to finish reading them," he told her as they started walking.

It was the longest walk of her life. He finally finished and looked at her.

"How long have you been thinking about this?" he questioned.

"Five years," she answered softly.

"Hermione!"

She looked up. Harry, Ron, and Neville were heading toward them.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked with concern.

"Guys, go wait in the room," Kingsley said authoritatively. "I need a quick word with Ms. Granger."

Harry looked ready to refuse.

"We'll be right in," Kingley told Harry firmly.

When all three had entered the conference room, Kingsley looked back at Hermione.

"You aren't in trouble," he told her, seeing the anxiety seared on her face.

"I'm not?"

"No. You aren't. In fact," he told her eagerly, "this is exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for!"

"It is?" she asked bewilderedly. "Then why did you have me sign it?"

"Otherwise, you might not receive credit for your ideas. Come on. Let's go in there and kill it."

As soon as they entered, Kingsley took charge. His demeanor changed back to one of a politician. He sealed the door and flicked a spell at it to prevent ease dropping. The room had at least twenty people in it, only a few of which Hermione knew personally.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to start a new beginning. It has been almost a year since the final battle, and the wizarding world is ready for change. We need to show the wizarding world that the Ministry is ready for change and to change, as well."

He pulled a sheet of paper out of his jacket and set it on the table with the blood quill.

"This is a document that attests that we are willing to bring about the necessary change in the wizarding community. We will make changes that will rid the Ministry of the backwards prejudice that brought about the last three wars in the wizarding world. Instead of focusing on what is best for a certain faction, you will focus and vote on what's best for the entirety of the wizarding and magical community in the United Kingdom. I will ask for each of you to come up here and sign this document."

Kingsley signed the document and then stepped back. Several in the room seemed to be hesitant, but Neville quickly stood, read the document, and signed it. Harry and Hermione signed next (though Harry winced when he picked up the quill), followed by Ron. When the last person had signed it, the minister tapped the parchment. Three individuals glowed.

"I'm sorry. I must ask you to leave"

The three left, scowling, and the door was quickly resealed.

"That parchment ensures that none of us have prejudices that will get in the way of making new policies. It can't force the signer to think a certain way, but it will allow us to be aware of that. Now that we have that figured out, Hermione, I'll let you start."

She took a deep breath to steady herself, and began speaking.

"I began a program five years ago to attempt to free the house-elves…"

"Oh great," Ron muttered. "More about house-elves."

The minister stared him into silence.

"The plan I had five years ago is not the one I'll be presenting to you today. I recently learned that many house-elves are very happy and think of those that they serve as their family members. However, there have been many documented cases of house-elf abuse, and that needs to be remonstrated. The proposal I drafted suggests various way in which we can help those who fought along side us in the Final Battle."

As Hermione continued, her voice gained strength. She told the room her plan to allow the ministry to free abused house elves, with abused being determined by a panel of impartial house elves. With the passing of this proposal, they would be allowed to start families on their own without master permission. For those who couldn't stand working in a house, training would be offered to allow them to work in other jobs. Owners of house elves would be required to offer a small amount as pay, and allow them to take a few personal days a year if wanted. That she wasn't being mocked gave her a small measure of hope.

She continued on with her ideas from her next proposal, though she hadn't had time to hammer out the details yet. She proposed a method to ensure checks and balances for the ministry. A bicameral house structure would be presented, with the first house belonging to the Wizengamot and the second house being a committee selected from members of the human, house elf, goblin, centaur, and mermaid species. This committee would be able to vote to overthrow laws that weren't impartial and could propose a reelection if the ministry became corrupt. They could also write and vote on new laws. However, they would be held accountable by oath to make decisions that were best for the entire wizarding community while still protecting final aspect of her plan was to give back. There were many families that had been completely killed out sometime in the last three wars. She proposed that some of these lands that had remained unclaimed be given to the centaurs as a sign of good faith since they'd had so much of their lands stolen. The rest should be used for necessary public service buildings. For instance, the aurors needed a training facility badly, but didn't have the space for one. In addition, she spoke of the plan that she and Harry had worked on. Though the ministry was against magical orphanages, they should at least put an effort into finding magical orphans to bring into the wizarding world. For those with families, those families should be informed of the magical potential so that fear and hatred would not result.

As she finished, the room burst into sound. Everyone had feedback on how the proposals could be improved to go over better and have an increased chance of passing. Most of the suggestions didn't involve changing anything but the wording, so it would appear to be less harsh. The proposals were quickly drafted and signed, though Hermione's name remained at the top as the creator.

As Hermione left the conference room that day with Ron and Harry, she was hopeful that at least one bill might pass.

The minister met with her several other times to fine tune the action plan behind it, even when she returned to Hogwarts after Christmas break. During March, Kingsley came to Hogwarts to talk with the four of them. The proposals that they had drafted would be put to a vote in the new Wizengamot just after Easter break.

Hermione had attended the Wizengamot meeting and honestly hadn't expected most of the bill to last five minutes. She knew the bit about the orphanage would be pushed through, as not only did she draft it, but Harry did as well. Hers, she figured, would promptly flop as S.P.E.W. had. She was surprised when the bill was easily voted through less than an hour later. It was much later that she found out that many witches and wizards had heard of the house-elves and centaurs risking their life in the fight against Voldemort, and had wanted to do something for them. The bill supporting Hermione's name did just that. Hermione was thrilled, but at the same time she was disappointed. She had expected this to keep her busy over the next twenty years. She had believed that getting that bill passed would take finagling and calling in favors. Instead, each of her bills were passed with few modifications. She truly had little left to work for.

They had dissolved the department of magical creatures - beings division and had opened up a representation center instead. She was offered a position there, but she didn't accept. She had always wanted to be the voice for those who couldn't speak, but now they all had permanent voices. It was time for her to move on and find a new course in life. She wasn't sure exactly what she wanted to do, but she wanted it to be something with purpose. NEWTs wouldn't be an issue, since she was taking every exam she could besides Divination.

It was as Ron was walking Hermione back up to Hogwarts that Hermione found out what Ron thought it meant for her.

"I'm glad all of that stuff finally got passed," Ron said.

"The stuff?" Hermione asked a bit tersely.

"Yeah, the bill thingie. For house elves. This is going to be great," Ron said enthusiastically.

"And why is that?" Hermione snapped. She doubted Ron particularly cared about house elf rights.

"Well, now that you've finished what you wanted to, you don't have to work anymore!"

Hermione stared at Ron blankly.

"Now we can get married and start our family!"

"Ron…"

"You could even drop out of Hogwarts now that you don't really need it anymore."

"What!" Hermione gave Ron a withering look. "Do you honestly think I would just quit school?"

"Well, uh…"

"And for that matter, we've barely dated! What makes you think I'd leave school and a career on the off chance that we might work and get married? I don't even want kids for another five years!"

"Oh come on Hermione, don't be ridiculous. I've got a career, I'm an Auror. Besides, you've done all you can do. You get to be a wife now. Raise a house full of kids, cook, and keep house. That's what most girls do, anyway."

"Oh really, Ronald?" she said, her voice ice cold. "I've done all I can do? You haven't seen anything yet."

With that, she turned and walked back up to the school alone. She never looked back.

Over the next couple of months, the newspapers constantly wrote about Hermione. She even got her own set of nicknames. She was a political genius, the youngest to successfully draft a bill and have it passed, and various other things. She was even called the woman who would change the world. Hermione paid it little mind. Not even the title of the most eligible bachelorette got her attention, though she had Ginny to help make light of the situation. Ginny was actually her saving grace through it all. Ginny helped her study for NEWTs, was there to talk about Ronald (he's just a git sometimes, don't worry, he'll pull his head out of his arse soon.), and got her back on track.

Hermione was studying in the library when Ginny came tearing up to her table.

"You'll never guess what I found," she said excitedly, before slamming a book down in front of Hermione. "The Fifty Top Jobs with Purpose! You'll find what you want to do in there, I know it. And you would have never read it on your own, because it's not thick enough."

Sure enough, Hermione discovered what she wanted to do for the rest of her life while reading that book. It was toward the end of the book that she finally found what she was looking for. There was even mention of research potential. The more she thought about it, the more she liked it. It would be difficult, but rewarding.

NEWTs studying and classes were interrupted on the second day of May for the commemoration of the Battle of Hogwarts. Guests were invited from across the country to attend the feast and ceremony, and the Hogwarts students and staff spent a good week setting everything up. In fact, the final repairs to the castle were completed early the morning of the ceremony. That night, Hermione put on her best dress robes and stepped into the Great Hall. As she looked around at the crowd of witches and wizards gathered together for that one night, she knew that she was glad to be a part of the wizarding world, and ready for all of the changes that the future would bring. Nothing could wreck that, not even Ron walking in with a new girl on his arm. Harry walked over and sat down next to Hermione.

"He's making a fool of himself," Harry said, staring at Ron attempting to flirt. "He knew we were all supposed to sit together"

"It's his own decision. Besides, I always could have invited Cormac if I'd really wanted a date."

Harry laughed. "At least there isn't any mistletoe this time."

"Too true. There was more than enough of that last time."

"I think the nargles got him last time." He paused and looked at Hermione. "I'm really glad that you're planning on doing something else next year."

"Why is that?"

"I don't think you would ever be content to sit at home all day. You're the type who needs to go out and help change the world to truly be happy. Just because you've accomplished one thing doesn't mean you should slow down. Besides, you never slowed down when you got the 312% on Muggle Studies."

"Thanks, Harry."

"For what?"

"For having faith in me."

"I always will. And I'll always be here if you need me," Harry said, hugging her.

The rest of the night passed quickly. There was food and dancing. Kingsley gave a speech over the proposed changes that would take place over the next few months and years. Even the students and faculty had a surprise. One of Hogwart's walls had been turned into a memorial, which was revealed that night. The names of every victim of the past two wars were engraved into the wall. Few eyes remained dry at the end of the night..

Come June, Hermione sat for her NEWTs, before taking the train home for good. The testing administrators had mentioned that results would be released around a week after they left Hogwarts. That week of waiting was one of the longest of her life. Once results were released- she made O's in every subject- she stopped by St. Mungo's to turn in her application and resumé. Less than a week later, she received an official letter from a regal owl. She read it and smiled, before heading downstairs to show it to her parents. She had been accepted into the Healer training program.


End file.
